Motherwell

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Theo Bair says he is in the form of his life after a double against Livingston took his goal tally to the season to 15.

The Canadian striker opened the scoring from the spot and scored a brilliant diving header for his side’s third in a 4-1 win that confirmed Livi’s relegation.

The decision to sign Bair last summer was questioned by some Motherwell fans following an underwhelming spell at St Johnstone, but his influence and importance has grown as the season has progressed

“It took a bit of time (to win over the fans) but I’m having the best form of my career,” Bair told BBC Scotland.

“I’m really enjoying my football and really happy to have the backing of the fans now and I just want to keep going.

“We have three very important games to come but I’m ecstatic with the goals that I’m scoring and the trust I get from my teammates, from the staff and the club as a whole. I’m really enjoying my football, I’m sure people can tell. I’m having fun and I can’t thank the club enough.

“As a striker they’ll be games that you don’t score as well and those ones are tougher to deal with but I know I have a chance to score (when I play) which is the best feeling on the planet so I’m really enjoying my football.

“If I bring my best and the team brings their best we win games. We’re enjoying our football, we have some important games coming up and we’re excited.”

Stuart Kettlewell has praised his Motherwell side for "standing together" during a difficult spell.

Well, the day is finally here. Livingston's relegation from the Premiership has been confirmed.

What did you make of the showing at Motherwell, and the season as a whole? Are you confident the club can bounce back at the first time of asking?

Let us know.

Did you watch Motherwell send sorry Livingston down the Championship?

We want to know what you made of the performance. What pleased you and who stood out?

Let us know.

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Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell told BBC Scotland: "I thought we managed to execute an awful lot of what we were trying to achieve.

"To score four goals, you're doing something well. Goals two and three are up there, as good as it gets.

"The second goal is absolute magic from Sam Nicholson. I just felt he stepped up, not just his goal but his all round play. Sometimes we go early on goal of the season contenders, because that one is right up there.

"There was moments in the game today when I thought our football was fantastic. It wasn't sustained enough.

"We've not achieved anything, we want to be a football club that's higher than we are at this moment in time.

"What we have done is stood together during some really tough times. I think our form's been excellent since the turn of the year."

On Theo Bair, he adds: "It's been a remarkable turnaround for a player, I'm just delighted for him. He's a excellent footbalL player, but he's a brilliant human being."

Sean McGill
BBC Sport Scotland

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For Motherwell, this was a comfortable showing in a season that is already effectively over.

They could have downed tools in the bottom six with safety all but assured, but they picked off their sorry opposition with a swagger.

The link-up between left-back Gent and the lethal Bair is fast becoming one of the Premiership's most entertaining sights.

Stuart Kettlewell will be doing well to have both in ML1 past the summer. And, we already know Blair Spittal is on his way out.

Now the challenge is to keep the momentum going towards the end of the season and prepare for a more successful campaign next term.

What a revelation Georgie Gent (right) has been.

With boundless energy and fantastic delivery, he may have been overlooked by some this awards season.

His ball in for Theo Bair's brilliant headers sums up the quality of the Blackburn Rovers loanee.

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Motherwell: Kelly, O'Donnell, McGinn, Casey, Blaney, Gent, Miller, Halliday, Spittal, Nicholson, Bair.

Substitutes: Oxborough, Mugabi, Paton, Zdravkovski, Shaw, Moses, Ferrie, L.Ross, Butcher.

Livingston: George, Brandon, Devlin, Obileye, Nottingham, MacKay, Sean Kelly, Jason Holt, Stephen Kelly, Pittman, Anderson.

Substitutes: Wright, Montano, Carson, Bradley, Nouble, Sangare, Shinnie, Guthrie, Yengi.

Motherwell forward Jack Vale begins a two-match ban following his red card at Aberdeen. Harry Paton (ankle), Jon Obika (hamstring) and Adam Devine (knee) are working towards comebacks while Adam Montgomery (hamstring) and Callum Slattery (knee) are out for the season.

Livingston are set to welcome back Andrew Shinnie from injury and Tete Yengi following suspension. Goalkeeper Jack Hamilton is out with a groin problem, joining James Penrice (hip), Joel Nouble (ankle), Cristian Montano (hamstring) and Shaun Donnellan on the sidelines.

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We asked who you think deserves to win Motherwell's player of the season after an up-and-down campaign for Stuart Kettlewell's side.

Here's what you had to say:

Grant: Got to be Blair Spittal. I know he is moving on but he has been tremendous for us this season, his passing has been phenomenal and has helped Theo Bair get his goals.

Ross: Bair for me, who was written off by many when he signed. It has been absolutely brilliant to watch his progress under Stuart Kettlewell. When Kevin van Veen departed I wondered where the goals were going to come from, but Bair stepped up big time. The guy has got talent - I hope he's still at Fir Park next season!

James: Spittal should be player of the year as he has been the most consistent player in the squad. He should have been tied down on a long-term contract by the board.

David: Don’t know about player of the year as no player has been consistent from one month to the next. If I was forced to pick it would be Lennon Miller. Other than him it would be names in a hat.

Stuart: I think Bair should be player of the year as he has gone from a zero to a hero. If he keeps doing what he is doing, he could be up there with the club's legends. Huge congratulations on a big turnaround.

D: Player of the year is definitely between Spittal or Bair, particularly the transformation of Bair turning into one of the league's top goalscorers makes him a worthy contender. Special mention also to Miller, who for 17 years of age is a special talent and will go right to the top!

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Motherwell centre-half Shane Blaney insists Lennon Miller has the temperament to match his precocious talent and says it's "scary" how unflappable the 17-year-old is.

Miller became Motherwell's youngest ever player when he made his debut six days after turning 16 in August 2022, and the midfielder has since shown his extraordinary potential.

This week, Miller was named on the PFA Scotland young player of the year shortlist after a breakthrough campaign in which he has made 28 appearances despite missing several months due to a damaged kneecap.

“I’ve been really impressed,” Blaney said. “He’s a really good footballer. I have probably been more impressed as a person, a really good fellow for the age of him, the way he carries himself.

“It’s mad to think he is the age he is because I remember the way I was at that age, I was nowhere near the way he is on the pitch or the way he carries himself, so it’s testament to him and his family and the people around him. He’s a great fellow and a really good footballer.

“He takes everything in his stride. It’s scary, to be honest. Nothing seems to faze him. I think you grow to learn that with the best players, they always seem to be like that. Nothing fazes them, and he seems to be like that.

"It’s great having him back after injury and that’s another thing to say about him. It was a big injury he had, at such a young age, and to come back the way he has done is brilliant.”

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Stuart Kettlewell says he's delighted to have one of the "top" teenagers in Scotland at Motherwell following Lennon Miller's nomination for PFA Scotland young player of the year.

The 17-year-old has enjoyed a breakthrough season at Fir Park, with his manager insisting he'd be full of praise for the midfielder even if he played elsewhere.

“I know that his feet will still be firmly set on the ground, it’s just the lad he is," Kettlewell said.

“He will run with it and I’m sure he will put himself in a position where he tries to perform again this Saturday.

“I have not shied away from it, because of the nature of the person and the lad that he is, he is unquestionably one of the best, if not the best, talent that I have worked with.

“I just think he is a really exciting talent. If he was playing at one of the other clubs I would be waxing lyrical about him as well because I do get excited when you see really good footballers in Scotland.

“It’s brilliant for us all to market and sell the product and the brand in this country.

“I am absolutely delighted that I feel we have got one of the top guys at his age and somebody that I believe can go on and have a real, real good future in the game."

It's been an up and down season for Motherwell, but who do you think deserves to be named the club's player of the year?

Theo Bair has been banging them in, while Blair Spittal has been integral for the Fir Park side.

Can you choose between the pair, or does someone else deserve the nod? Have your say here.

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• Motherwell have only lost one of their last 13 league meetings with Livingston (W8 D4), going down 2-0 in October this season.

• Livingston are winless in their last 15 top-flight visits to Motherwell (D3 L12) since a 5-1 victory in October 2002.

• Motherwell have failed to win any of their last four home league matches (D2 L2). In fact, since winning their first two home league matches of the season back in August, the Steelmen have won just two of their last 15 at Fir Park (D6 L7).

• Livingston have lost 12 of their last 13 Scottish Premiership matches on the road (D1) and are winless in 15 away from home (D3 L12), their longest winless run on their travels since August 2019 (run of 18).

• Motherwell goalkeeper Liam Kelly has completed 317 long passes in the Scottish Premiership this season, at least 43 more than any other player. In fact, of goalkeepers to have completed 100+ long passes this season, only David Marshall (43.2%) and Jack Butland (40.7%) have a better accuracy than Kelly (37.8% - 317 of 838 completed).

Motherwell welcome a struggling Livingston side to Fir Park on Saturday, but who should be in the starting line-up?

Put yourself in Stuart Kettlewell's shoes and pick your XI here.

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Twenty-six decisions since the start of the Premiership season have been deemed incorrect by the Scottish FA's VAR independent review panel.

The tally, based on incidents requested by the panel or submitted for consideration, is a rise of 10 since February's last meeting of the group.

Not among the incidents included was one where Hibernian claimed the Scottish FA agreed an error had been made.

The governing body later disputed that assertion, made after Hibs were not awarded a penalty after Aberdeen's Nicky Devlin handled in February's 2-2 draw.

The 10 incorrect decisions shared with Premiership clubs on Wednesday were:

Rangers 2-1 Aberdeen (6/02/24): VAR intervention was correct, but final outcome should have been yellow card to Rangers' Dujon Sterling. Referee retained his on-field decision of a red card.

St Mirren 2-0 Dundee (7/02/24): VAR intervention was correct, but final outcome should have been yellow card to St Mirren's James Bolton. Referee retained his on-field decision of a red card.

Ross County 1-1 St Mirren (27/2/24): VAR should have recommended an on-field review. Final outcome should have been penalty awarded against Ross County for handball.

Hearts 1-1 Hibernian (28/2/24): VAR intervention correct, but penalty decision, which led to Hearts' equaliser, should have been overturned - no foul and no penalty should have been awarded.

Kilmarnock 1-2 Rangers (28/2/24): VAR should have recommended an on-field review. Final outcome should have been penalty decision, which led to Kilmarnock opening the scoring, overturned - no handball offense against Rangers.

Hearts 2-0 Celtic (3/3/24): VAR should have recommended an on-field review. Penalty decision should have been overturned - no foul and no penalty should have been awarded to Celtic.

Hearts 2-0 Celtic (3/3/24): On-field decision correct, no penalty to Hearts. Handball should not have been awarded for spot-kick that led to opening goal.

Motherwell 0-1 Aberdeen (16/04/24): VAR should have recommended an on-field review. Penalty to Motherwell should have been awarded for handball.

Hibernian 1-2 St Johnstone (6/4/24): VAR should have recommended an on-field review. Penalty should have been awarded to Hibs for foul by St Johnstone goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov.

St Mirren 1-2 Hearts (6/4/24): VAR intervention correct, but penalty should have been awarded to St Mirren for a foul on Conor McMenamin by Aidan Denholm.

It's not often a controversial refereeing decision prompts sympathy for both player and official, but that's how Rory Loy views Jack Vale's red card at Aberdeen.

The Motherwell striker, on loan from Blackburn, caught Jack MacKenzie with a high boot and was immediately dismissed by referee Craig Napier.

Aberdeen went on to score the only goal of the game four minutes later.

Fir Park boss Stuart Kettlewell described the decision as "laughable" before the Lanarkshire club made an appeal that failed.

"I've actually got a lot of sympathy with both the referees and Vale with this incident," BBC Scotland pundit Loy said on Tuesday's Scottish Football Podcast.

"Intent's not always relevant, but I think in this case it is. The ball's dropping over his shoulder, he's not looking, he's trying to control it, his foot's not that high and he doesn't see the opponent.

"But under the current laws of the game, that is a red card. Should the laws be looked at? Potentially, but I think the referee has to make that call."

Jane Lewis
BBC Scotland

Stuart Kettlewell has issued a rallying call. He wants Motherwell supporters to get behind the team for their last four matches, starting with Livingston.

No doubt Livi will come to Fir Park on a high after their win last weekend against Ross County, which just about keeps their heads above water.

In contrast, Motherwell were left full of frustration after "one decision changed the game" against Aberdeen.

Kettlewell believes referee Craig Napier made a major mistake in sending off Jack Vale. As if to prove their point, the club made an appeal they ultimately lost, meaning Vale will serve a two-game suspension.

Of course it’s common place for managers to sometimes question officials after a sore loss, but Kettlewell’s post-match interview felt more than just a manager expressing disappointment in defeat.

He says he believes the game has "a serious problem" with some referees making significant mistakes. Harsh words, not to mention allegations.

But now Kettlewell and his players need to move on.

Livi are in survival mode and fight on after a morale-boosting win over County, although a defeat at Fir Park would all but confirm their relegation.

Meanwhile, victory for Motherwell would almost certainly guarantee them survival - that should be all the motivation they need.

Lennon Miller, the 17-year-old Scotland youth midfielder, is hopeful "the big move will come one day" but adds that "right now I just want to focus on playing for Motherwell". (Scottish Sun), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

Motherwell have failed with a bid to have Jack Vale's red card overturned.

The Welsh forward, on loan from Blackburn Rovers, was dismissed for a high challenge 56 minutes into Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Pittodrie.

He will miss games against Livingston and Ross County after a Scottish Football Association appeal hearing went against him.

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell had described referee Craig Napier’s decision as "laughable", saying: "Jack MacKenzie comes steaming into Jack Vale, I thought it might have been our foul."

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Teenager Lennon Miller says "getting the trust" of his more experienced Motherwell team-mates has been key to the 17-year-old excelling in an impressive breakthrough season.

A stellar campaign, during which the midfielder has made 27 appearances, has resulted in Miller being named on the shortlist for PFA young player of the year.

Having impressed early in the season at the age of just 16, Motherwell’s dip in form coincided with a two-month injury for the teenager, who suffered a fractured kneecap in November.

"It’s gone a lot better than I could have imagined," fit-again Miller said of his season.

"To get that injury was a low point, but I’ve come back and got myself back in the team.

"I just go on the pitch and try to enjoy the game as much as I can. I just tried to take it in my stride and the experienced players have helped with that.

"It helps getting the trust of your team-mates, they will give you the ball under pressure and know you deal with it."